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Leonard Ncube in Victoria Falls
VICTORIA Falls has experienced exceptional growth in the tourism sector with an overall 20 percent increase in revenue and 18 properties being developed since the start of the year.
This was said by outgoing Victoria Falls Mayor, Councillor Sifiso Mpofu, who is also a tour operator in the country’s prime resort town. Clr Mpofu was speaking at the ground-breaking ceremony of a $1,2 billion project for the construction of a Grand Prix, Medical resort, convention centre and shopping mall spearheaded by Feonirich of Dubai on Sunday.
The massive project, which will comprise state-of-the art conference facilities, a seven-star hotel, world class medical centre and motor racing arena, will be built on a 271ha piece of land between Masue River and Victoria Falls Airport.
Clr Mpofu said the new dispensation had attracted a lot of foreign direct investment into the country. He said tourism performance in January and February this year in terms of accommodation and activities in the resort town had surpassed records realised 25 years ago.
“Since the inception of the new dispensation, potential investors are committing themselves to the country. Occupancies for January 2018 indicated a 22 percent increase, making it the second best for the same month in 25 years and equally, in the month of February, occupancies were up 24 percent making it the best in 25 years.
“Overall, revenue in Victoria Falls is up by 20 percent and 18 new properties have been developed, among them Zambezi Island Lodge, The River Brewery, The Old Drift Lodge, The Great Plains Lodge, Nguni Boutique Lodge and Mbano Manor Lodge while Ilala Lodge has added 18 rooms,” he said.
Clr Mpofu said Victoria Falls Safari Lodge had also refurbished its bar and other facilities as players seek to meet international standards well sought by clients. Rainbow Tourism Group recently completed a $1 million refurbishment of Victoria Falls Rainbow Hotel in line with international standards and accommodation needs of modern clients. Shearwater Adventures also in May commissioned the Explorers’ Village built at a cost of $4 million to add onto accommodation facilities and reduce room deficiency which stands at 2 000 in Victoria Falls.
Figures released by the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) in a pre-election survey last week showed that major hotel and lodges in Victoria Falls enjoyed between 63 percent and 75 percent occupancy rate for the period starting Sunday until yesterday.
Clr Mpofu said Zimbabwe is poised for unprecedented growth in tourism given the prevailing goodwill and interest in the different markets.
“The tourism sector will undoubtedly be a key pillar for the economic growth trajectory of the national economy,” he said.
Tourism is one of the key pillars identified by Government to drive economic recovery while Victoria Falls was identified as one of the three main Special Economic Zones (SEZs). Turning to the convention centre, Clr Mpofu said the investment will be a game changer in Victoria Falls in terms of impact and development of downstream industries in the resort town.
He said this comes at an opportune time when Victoria Falls is earmarked for development as a regional hub for tourism while Government is also angling to make it its conference capital.
Clr Mpofu said the town and country at large had not witnessed meaningful development over the past two decades hence the project will put Victoria Falls on the world map and boost arrivals. Minister of State for Matabeleland North Provincial Affairs Cain Mathema said the province has abundant resources, which if tapped have potential to transform lives and the economy.
The Feonirich project was brokered by Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Prisca Mupfumira at the Arabic Travel Mart (ATM) 2018 in Dubai this year.
Vice President General (Rtd), Costantino Chiwenga, was guest of honour at the weekend event.
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